Building foundation digger



Sept. 11, 1945.

M. M. HICKEY BUILDING FOUNDATION DIGGER Filed April 14, 1943 2Sheets-Sheet l INVE R MORRISM. ICKEY AT 16ml vs P 1945 M. M. HICKEYBUILDING FOUNDATION DIGGER' Filed April 14, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR HICKEY MORRIS M.

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUILDINGFOUNDAIIUN mocha j Morris M. Hickey, Appleton, was

Application April 14, 1943., senarno. 482,965

"This I invention appertains to buildings. and

more particularly to a novel means for forming foundation trenches forbuildings.

.One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide novel meansfor using a ditch digging machine for the forming of trenches forfoundation walls of buildings and the like, whereby such foundationtrenches can be quickly and accurately dug in different kinds of groundformations with a minimum amount of difiiculty and labor.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of a ditchdigging machine of the vertical boom type having novel means associatedtherewith ffor correctly guiding the machine-and for accuratelyregulating the depth of the trench being dug during the travel of themachine irrespec't'ive of the contour-of the ground over the machinetravels.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a guideline for indicating the position of the trench and disposed parallelwith the bottom wall of the trench with novel means carried by thevertical boom of the digger for engaging the guide line to guide theoperator of the digger during the operation thereof.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision ofnovel means carried by the guide arm on the digger for indicating thedepth of the out being made. so that the operator of the machine cancorrectly regulate the depth of the trench irrespective of the groundcontour,

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a top, plan view illustrating the use of the ditch diggingmachine for making trenches for the foundation walls of a building, theview being of a diagrammatic nature.

Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1looking in the direction of the arrows, the ditch digging machine beingshown in side elevation.

Figure 3 is an end, elevational view of the ditch digging machineshowing the same in use.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side, elevational viewillustrating the novel guide arm incorporated with the vertical boom ofthe digger, parts of the view being shown broken away and in section.

Figure 5 is a detail, horizontal, sectional view taken on the line 5-5of Figure 4 looking in (on. sad-1x5.

the direction of the arrows, showing the means for removably mountingthe guide arm on the vertical boom, I

.lFi-gure ii is a horizontal, sectional view taken 5 on the line 6+6 ofFigure 4 looking in the directiun'o'f the arrows. v j I Figure '51 .is averticahsectional view taken on the line "l---'! of Figure 4 looking inthe directionof the arrows, illustrating the means .forv re- Figure 8 is.a'detaiLvertical, sectional View taken through'the guidefarm on theline 8-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a detail, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 3-5 ofFigure 6 looking .in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the meansemployed for adjustably holding the depthguide inasetposition. j .1 l vV HFigure 10 is a detail, fragmentary, perspective view showing anotherform of .rneans' for adjustably and detachably holding the guide arm onthe side of the boom.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter D generally indicates a ditch digging machine and thismachine can be considered of the type manufactured by the Barber GreeneCompany of Aurora, Illinois, and known to the trade as Model 44Cstandard ditcher. This ditcher D embodies a frame Ill having powerdriven crawlers or tracks II. The vertical boom I2 of the digger carriesan endless power driven chain 35 having digging buckets provided withdigging teeth. The buckets and teeth can be of any desired width and theboom I2 is raised and lowered by the operatoor of the machine to governthe depth of the out being made.

Great difiiculty is encountered in digging trenches for the foundationwalls of a building and hand labor is generally utilized for thispurpose. By my novel construction and arrangement of parts, I have foundthat I can use the conventional digger D for the above purpose and I amenabled to rapidly dig the foundation trench in all types of groundformations. Also with my novel arrangement I am enabled to accuratelydig the foundation trench to the exact proper depth irrespective ofrolling ground contours.

In accordance with my invention I erect a guide line I3 parallel to thetrench to be dug and this guide line is supported at suitable distancesby posts l4. Care is taken to see that the guide mova'bly mountinglfiheguide arm on the vertical line is horizontal or exactly parallel to thebottom wall of the foundation trench to be dug.

Also in accordance with my invention I mount a guide arm I on the sideframe piece I6 of the vertical boom I2, whereby the guide arm will beraised and lowered with the boom. The guide arm is so disposed that thesame will extend laterally from the boom toward the guide line I3.

In order that the guide arm I5 can reach the guide linesplaced diiferentdistances from the trench to be dug, the same is made extensible andconsequently I have shown an outer section I1 slidably mounted in aninner section I8.

23 is adjusted according to the depth of the trench and to engage theguide line. The machine is now operated in the usual way and theoperator keeps the guide rod, at all times, at a certain point on theguide line during the travel of the machine.

In Figure 10 I have illustrated a slightly modifled form of means foradjustably, as well as detachably, mounting the guide arm I5 on the sideframe piece I6 of the vertical boom I2 of the machine." In this" form aguide track 21 is welded or otherwise secured to the side ofthe boom andas illustrated, this guide track includes spaced guide irons 28. Theinner end of the guide arm I5 has formed thereon a foot 29 which isslidably ner end of the section I8 is provided with a de-- pending footand this foot is detachably mounted in a socket 2| which is riveted orbolted, as at 22, to the side piece I6 of the vertical digger boom.Consequently, the arm can be freely removed from the ditcher whenthesame is not being used. I I

The outer end of the arm I5 slidably carries the depth indicating guiderod 23., This depth rod 23 is graduated and is adaptedto travel alongthe guide line I3. The depth'rod '23 can he slid-- ably mounted on thearm I5 in any preferred manner. As illustrated, I have shown a Tcoupling 24 secured to thearm and this coupling slidably receives thedepth rod. A winged thumb screw 25 can be employed for holding the'depthrod in a selectedadjusted position. 7

The rod 23 and the arm I5 are so placed on the machine that the samewill be in view of the operator of the machine and consequently theoperator will be ableto observe the exact contact of the rod with theguide line.

When a foundation trench is to be dug the guide arm is placed on themachine andthe guide line is laid in proper position according to thecharacter of the trench being dug. The depth rod receivedwithin theguide track. The guide arm "can be held in a selected, adjustedhorizontal position by the use of pins 30 which can be placed in anypreferred opening 3| in the guide track and in openings in the foot.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of my invention, but what I claim as new is: V r 1. In a ditchdigging machine of the type having avertical digging boom, a socket onthe side of the boom, a guide arm detachably fitted in the socket andextending laterally therefrom in a horizontal plane, and an adjustabledepth rod carried by the arm and extending at right angles thereto in avertical plane for engaging a ground guide line.

2. In a ditch digging machine of the type havinga vertical digging boom,a socket on the side of the boom, a guide arm detachably fitted in thesocket and extending laterally therefrom in a horizontal plane, and anadjustable depth rod carried by the arm and extending at right anglesthereto in a vertical plane for engaging a ground guide line, said armincluding inner and outer extensible sections.

MORRIS M. I-IICKEY.

